"Prisons have the image of being isolated places that have no contact with the rest of society and are surrounded by imposing grey walls," said a public relations official at Asahikawa. "We made the character to change the image into that of a facility open to society and supported by society.""Of course, prisons are for people who have committed crimes and people tend to consider them unwelcome in their neighborhood. But society has to play its part in supporting the rehabilitation of people who have served their time."